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This article focuses on political implications of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. Given the vast political turmoil during the past month, Katrina has moved down the list of talking points. That's a lot of political rubble, under any circumstances. But that chaos ultimately might pale in significance to Katrina, once lawmakers have a chance to tally its financial and political costs. At the very least, Katrina is an important prism through which to understand the GOP's subsequent tale of misery, including increased public disapproval of President George W. Bush. When the Congress adjourned for the August recess, members expected a relatively quiet autumn. The first budget reconciliation bill since 1997 would pose a challenge, members believed, even though the expected fiscal impact would be modest. That outlook changed after Katrina made landfall on August 29. The Congress convened in a brief special session on September 2 to approve a $10 billion emergency supplemental bill.

The author discusses the devastation brought by Hurricane Dorian to the Bahamas. Topics explored include the damage to buildings and cars particularly at the Grand Bahama and Abaco islands in the region, the donation pledged by Walt Disney Company and celebrities such as singer Rihanna and rapper Ludacris to help with disaster relief and recovery efforts, and the resilience demonstrated by Bahamians despite the disaster.

The article discusses the slow reconstruction of Puerto Rico one year and a half after Hurricane Maria hit the territory in September 2017. The situation has been attributed to the bickering over the scope and cost of the disaster relief package from the U.S. federal government. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have endorsed a budget for the reconstruction. Governor Ricardo A. Rosselló stressed that Puerto Rico needs budgets to rebuild public utilities, roads and public buildings.

This article focuses on financial aspects of the disaster relief system of the U.S. revealed after the occurrence of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. The federal fiscal policy has increasingly employed budget-busting emergency spending bills coupled with ideologically driven tax cuts that together have propelled the national debt to astronomical levels. The debt owed by American taxpayers is likely to reach $8 billion when the fiscal year ends at midnight Friday. Of that sum, about 22 percent is owed to foreign creditors such as China, another 40 percent is owed by one arm of government to another and the rest is in private hands. Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg remarked earlier this month that the administration is preparing to ask for another $50 billion, on top of the $62 billion already approved with as much as $40 billion to $65 billion still to come.

This article reports that Republican leaders of the U.S. remain far from agreement on a plan to pay for the cost of Hurricane Katrina relief and reconstruction. And while Office of Management and Budget Director Steven Bolten reassured restless Senate Republicans Tuesday that the administration would consider offsets, he did not offer specifics nor commit to produce an offset plan, according to people who attended the briefing. Congressional leaders are mulling the fall budget reconciliation bill as a vehicle to offset the massive costs of relief, perhaps by requiring higher-than-anticipated entitlement program savings. As the massive Gulf infrastructure needs become evident, pressure is also growing to rescind local projects in the $286.4 billion transportation bill. Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg, who led opposition to the highway bill and is driving the reconciliation process, agreed that without a consensus, offsets would be difficult to get.

The article reports on the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump for the remake of the country's tax code. Topics discussed include the association of tax legislation with hurricane recovery, the promotion of passing the new tax code, and the continuous division of the Republicans on its key details.

The article offers information on the relief fund for cleanup and rebuild programs for disaster caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. Topics mentioned include the estimated cost for the disaster recovery by several Texas Democratic U.S. Representatives such as Al Green, Eddie Bernice Johnson, and Sheila Jackson Lee, the search and rescue missions in the state, and the management of emergency funds for natural disasters.

The article reports on the funds pledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for relief and rebuilding efforts of Odisha, India after Cyclone Fani that struck the state on May 6, 2019, which killed at least 34 people.

The article reports that Louisiana's Republican lawmakers have defended their 2013 votes against aid for Hurricane Sandy relief in the face of their request for flood relief funds, as of September 2016, and mentions that Senator Bill Cassidy and Representative John Fleming have requested for funds.

The author reflects on the emergency assistance fund approved by the U.S. Congress in February 2018 for the recovery and restoration projects in Puerto Rico damaged by Hurricane Maria.

The article offers information on the report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the cost of federal government on the crop insurance losses, disaster assistance and other climate change-related effects.

The article reports on the legislation approved by the U.S. Senate that will raise the debt limit of the country and approve the $15 billion budget for the disaster aid in Hurricane Harvey and the confirming of the deal by President Donald Trump with leaders in Democratic party.

The article discusses the aid from Great Britain's government to flood victims in South Asia for disaster planning and relief.

The article reports on the Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno's denial of the allegations by Dawn Zimmer, mayor in Hoboken, New Jersey. Particular focus is given to the accusation that Guadagno told Zimmer that Hurricane Sandy relief funds would be withheld based on political conditions and were tied to any approval of any project in the state. Consistency of the mayor with her allegations is described.

The article reports on the decision of Jersey City, New Jersey Mayor Steven Fulop who declined to endorse Governor Chris Christie for a re-election and cancelled state meetings with the governor. The move follows amid the issue of Christie's involvement in the traffic congestion at the George Washington Bridge. The decision has caused Jersey City to fill its budget without money from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well as its request for a disaster recovery and transportation.

The article offers the author's insight on using the unspent pork barrel funds for disaster relief and rehabilitation of disaster victims in the Philippines such as those victims hit by the earthquake.

The article focuses on several grants offered to teachers and programs for improving the education. Topics discussed include the Lawrence Foundation grants for supporting disaster, services, and human relief, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation grants to teachers who apply or develop STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in their curriculum, and the American Honda Foundation grants supporting STEM-focused youth education programs.

The article reports on the opposition of U.S. House Republicans in New York and New Jersey to the proposed disaster aid with spending cuts in 2011.

The article reports on the application of the Stockdale City Council to the Texas Community Development Grant Program due to the flood damage caused by the storm from August 20-21, 2016 and the seek for grant funds to improve the wastewater treatment from the Disaster Relief Fund.

This article discusses relief for rescue workers who became ill after helping with the September 11, 2001 terror attack cleanup in New York City. The $40 million set aside by the U.S. federal government to help these sick workers will run out during 2007, according to estimates from physicians and U.S. federal officials. The article notes that an estimated $250 million is needed to fully treat each sick worker.

The article reports on the need of U.S. President George W. Bush to enforce federal spending cuts and savings to offset costs incurred from hurricane relief efforts in 2005, according to the remarks from U.S. Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.). The Bush administration is half committed to the issue despite the support of the president for the spending cuts. The conservative members of the U.S. House plans to include 1% to 2% across-the-board cuts in the final federal appropriations bill to achieve their goal of $62 billion of total spending cuts. The conservatives are worried about the possible late implementation of amendments in the spending programs.

The article offers news briefs related to various nonprofit organizations in Arizona. The University of Arizona Foundation received $101.05 million in donation during the fiscal year 2004-2005. This is the 23rd largest grant among public higher-education institutions. An eight-year fund-raising effort called Campaign Arizona has been started by the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and has received nearly $1.2 billion between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 2005. The Tucson Association of Realtors Inc., and the Multiple Listing Service have contributed $6,000 each to enhance the relief work to support the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast. A donation of $5.9 million has been provided by the U.S.-based National Association of Realtors to support relief associations in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

This article reports that progress on a tax-cut bill aimed at spurring economic recovery in the Gulf Coast region has slowed in both the House and Senate, and complications for the legislation appear to be multiplying. The bill was knocked off the House calendar this week in deference to Floridians who are seeking to add benefits for survivors of Hurricane Wilma. House Representative Jim McCrery, House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas seemed to downplay the chances on Wednesday that the Wilma provisions would be added. But portions of the McCrery bill already face opposition from Republicans who want to make tax benefits off limits to the gambling industry, and from the Treasury Department, which opposes a 50 percent federal guarantee of local bonds included in the bill.

This article reports that the U.S. administration's latest spending request for Hurricane Katrina relief dollars includes nearly $2 billion to rebuild Navy shipbuilding assets at Northrop Grumman Corp.'s facilities along the Gulf Coast that were damaged by the powerful late-August storm. The Navy funding came at the behest of John Young, the Navy's assistant secretary for research development and acquisition, who last month concluded that the service would need $2.8 billion to fully recover from the hurricane and keep shipbuilding programs alive in the region. According to the Navy, the money would keep program delays on some of its top ship procurement programs to a minimum, while also helping to maintain a skilled workforce at three Northrop Grumman shipyards: Ingalls and Gulfport in Mississippi and Avondale in Louisiana.

This article reports that U.S. House Financial Services Capital Markets Subcommittee Chairman Richard Baker, plans to introduce legislation today that would create a nonprofit corporation to help finance and coordinate the redevelopment of hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana. Baker said that a presidentially appointed commission would oversee the proposed Louisiana Recovery Corp., which would have the authority to finance projects through federal debt obligations that would be subject to approval by the Treasury Department. Those funds would help finance levee restoration, environmental remediation, basic infrastructure construction and other major projects. Baker said that other members of the Louisiana delegation are "generally very supportive" of the bill, which would give the corporation authority to acquire large tracts of land for redevelopment.

The article reports that U.S. House Budget Chairman Jim Nussle rolled out his proposal to partially offset the costs of Hurricane Katrina relief and other emergency spending. He urged a 2 percent across-the-board cut in FY06 discretionary spending and an additional 10 percent reduction in entitlement savings under the reconciliation process. Nussle would include defense and homeland security spending in his plan, but that approach likely would be opposed by other House Republicans and the White House, although it would not touch off-budget spending for the global war on terror. Nussle also would exempt Medicare from entitlement savings, and Social Security is exempt by law from the budget process.

This article reports that emergency personnel will receive only slightly more for new communications gear than the amount initially proposed by U.S. President George Bush in February, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. House-Senate conferees agreed last week to provide the Homeland Security Department with $27 million to develop technology and expand interoperability initiatives, $15 million less than the House approved in its spending bill in May. The Senate's version included $15 million, and Bush requested $21 million. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said after touring the hurricane-ravaged area that the Congress had invested money over the last four years but its efforts had failed. The Congressional Budget Office estimates it would cost $15 billion to upgrade equipment for firefighters and police and experts say it would take 15 to 20 years to connect the 60,000 emergency workers across the country.

This article reports that the U.S. federal government is asking more than 7,600 Floridians in 60 counties to return $30.3 million in emergency hurricane aid dispensed last year when a record four hurricanes slammed the state. Most of the payments the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) wants back stem from cases in which insurance settlements were reached after the government aid was doled out. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate insurance coverage. Residents there are being asked to return $3.7 million. In Palm Beach County, FEMA is seeking nearly $3.4 million. In a small number of cases, FEMA wants to recoup money because of processing errors or duplicate approval of funds.

Focuses on the process of lobbying for clients in the Gulf Coast region of the United States impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Example of Shane Doucet of the Louisiana-based lobbying firm Adams & Reese LLC, who is requesting funds for Louisiana law-enforcement clients; Speculation about the value of rebuilding the region, suggesting several lobbyists will be seeking a piece of the federal funds; Contracts already awarded to clients of Adams & Reese; How the storm impacted the lobby firm's offices in New Orleans, Louisiana; Discussion of the influence some lobbying firms have in Washington D.C.; Indication of a backlash against the requests for federal money; Increase in the number of clients that some Louisiana lobbying firms are experiencing as a result of the storm.

This article reports that urban lawmakers in the U.S. scored a victory today when House-Senate conferees agreed to give states at greater risk of a terrorist attack or natural disaster more of the funding allocated for first-responder grants as part of the $30.8 billion FY06 Homeland Security spending bill. The Senate may consider the conference bill later today or Friday, while the House is likely to wait until next week. House-Senate conferees declined to reduce the percentage each state receives for first-responder grants, which is now mandated at 0.75 percent. The appropriators last year mandated in the department's spending measure that officials had to appropriate funding under the status quo formula, rather than giving the administration discretion to appropriate money on the basis of risk.

Reports on issues surrounding the funds allocated by the U.S. Congress for the relief and recovery of states devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Suggested actions for the Congress to tighten the federal budget to cover the costs of Katrina relief efforts; Impact of the hurricane on the victims.

Focuses on the refusal of U.S. President George W. Bush to endorse or recommend any specific spending cuts to offset the expenditures for the Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery efforts. Stance of Domestic Policy Adviser Claude Allen on which programs that would be cut or eliminated to make room in the budget for Katrina relief; Opinion of Press Secretary Scott McClellan on the suggestion of Representative Mike Pence to delay implementation of the Medicare prescription drug program enacted in 2003.

This article reports that Senators of the U.S. concerned about the cost of expanding Medicaid coverage to Hurricane Katrina victims blocked the chamber from voting Monday on a package that would cover state costs for victims' Medicaid expenses. After more than a week of wrangling with some Republicans, Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley and ranking member Max Baucus, sought unanimous consent on Monday for their package. Senator John Ensign, said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency already has received $60 billion for the relief effort. During a floor speech, Grassley reminded his fellow Republicans of their promises to provide immediate relief to hurricane victims.

This article reports that the U.S. House Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimates that the hurricane tax relief bill passed by the Senate late last week would cost $6.3 billion over 10 years, roughly $1 billion more than the House version of the bill. That estimate is down from the $8.2 billion score that JCT assigned to the original version of the legislation that the Senate also passed last week. The bill would extend tax relief to individuals whose homes or businesses were damaged or destroyed by the hurricane, for example by suspending limits on personal casualty losses. The JCT score released on Monday evening reflects provisions the Senate added and the House has not embraced, including a 40 percent tax credit for wages paid by employers located in the disaster area through the end of this year, as well as a more generous tax deduction for donations of food and books than is available under current law.

This article presents information on a report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to which Hurricane Katrina caused an estimated $900 million in farm losses. The report was released as the Senate debated a $100.7 billion FY06 Agriculture spending bill and as additional Hurricane Katrina spending requests pile up. The White House has said the Agriculture spending bill should be kept clean of Katrina-related aid, which will be submitted as part of an emergency spending request next month. The bill, with $17.3 billion in discretionary spending, already is $400 million over the president's discretionary farm spending request. But the timing of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns' report could leave the door open to farm disaster amendments, and senators today were considering offering a $5 billion aid amendment. Johanns said in a statement that Katrina had a smaller impact than expected. Midwestern lawmakers will gain momentum from the report in their bid to secure drought aid, as USDA estimated $1.3 billion in corn and soybean losses in political battleground states such as Ohio and Wisconsin, as well as in Illinois and Missouri, which are represented in congressional leadership positions.

This article reports that Republican leaders of the U.S. Senate were discussing a plan to set an overall budget number for Hurricane Katrina-related spending that would include mechanisms to offset some or all of the disaster relief costs. As part of the plan, Majority Leader Bill Frist and other GOP leaders also are looking at creating a special inspector general position that would focus specifically on the Gulf Coast disaster area to monitor spending of federal dollars. The talk of a budget cap comes as Republicans in the House and Senate begin to grapple with how to pay for the record-setting price tag. While conservatives led by Senator Tom Coburn, have called on the Congress to eliminate billions in highway pork projects and other earmarked spending, Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg was expected to give a presentation during today's Republican Conference luncheon on the costs of the Katrina aid.